Just as cars are tested for safety in crash tests, several of the season’s tablets were put through the ringer in a “breakability test” conducted by SquareTrade, a provider of extended warranty service for electronic devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 emerged the winner among a selection of devices that included Apple’s iPad Air 2 and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3, among others.

According to the test, two of the tablets evaluated have a low risk of breakability (Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and Asus Memo Pad 7), six present an average risk level (Sony Xperia Z3, iPad Air 2 and mini 3, Nexus 9, Samsung Note Pro 12.2 and Galaxy Tab S 10.5) and two are particularly vulnerable (Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and TMAX 9 HD).

Overall, larger tablets turned out to be more fragile and also less water resistant than smaller ones. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, the overall winner, performed particularly well in the drop test and the water resistance test. The Sony Xperia Z3 also stands out for its exemplary water resistance, unlike the Samsung Note Pro 12.2, Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and TMAX 9 HD, which seem to be wide open to water damage.

SquareTrade’s Breakability Score ranks mobile devices according to their risk of breaking, taking into account key elements such as front and back panel design, materials used and build quality, size, weight, friction quotient, water resistance and “grip-ability.”

The higher a device scores on the scale of one to ten, the higher the risk the device will break in an accident. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 claims the lowest risk score among the tablets tested in this round, at just 3.3.

The latest iteration of Android, also known as Lollipop, has been anticipated on many devices this year. We looked at a couple lists online of the devices slated to receive Android 5.0, and conspicuously absent from the list is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0, along with any of the other Tabs in Samsung’s lineup. Hopefully, this won’t deter potential owners from purchasing this tablet, as it is quite an impressive little tablet even without Android Lollipop. So far, the only Samsung devices confirmed to be receiving the Android Lollipop update are as follows: Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5 Mini, and the Galaxy S5 (standard and DUAL Sim version). Neither the Tab 3 or the Tab 4 are included in this list, unfortunately. However, those looking at the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 should not be discouraged, as this tablet is still worth its sub-$200 price tag.

So what is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0? Well, it is the 3rd iteration of Samsung’s popular tablet line, and is the 8″ variant. It also comes in a 10.1″ version and is available in black and white. The tablet itself is a nice size, not too small to where it feels like an ungainly “phablet,” but also not as large as its 10″ sibling, allowing for more convenient storage and usage, especially if you’re on the go a lot. The tablet itself is constructed of a plastic case that, while not giving off that air of premium quality and solid construction, does not feel bad and is easy to hold. It’s dimensions are 8.26 x 4.87 x .29 inches, making it easy to hold in both portrait and landscape mode, as well as keeping it thin, light, and slim despite the beefy hardware packed under the cover. The whole tablet weighs only 11.25 ounces, or 319 grams, for those interested.

It’s display is, of course, 8 inches, and comes at a disappointingly low resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. While it is definitely a serviceable resolution, the low pixel density of only 189 ppi is easily discernible upon comparison to a higher end tablet, and does not allow for 1080p or above resolution picture quality. The Super Clear LCD, however, is very good and provides adequate picture quality for the size, as well as having good contrast and brightness. The auto brightness was not too bright at night, and worked well during the day, although it was a little hard to see during full sunlight, as expected.

The camera, a 5 megapixel rear facing camera with autofocus, digital zoom, and night mode, was very nice. It’s not a camera that will blow the minds of its owners with next level clarity and detail, but it does the job and will be fine for everyday use. The lack of an LED flash, however, makes this camera not so useful in the dark, even with its night mode. The rear facing camera is capable of 720p video recording. The front-facing camera is a standard 1.3 megapixel camera that doesn’t disappoint, but fails to impress either. However, for a tablet, the cameras are good enough, as most users will not be using tablets for professional photography anyway.

As stated above, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 will NOT be updated to Android 5.0, as least not at the time of the writing of this article. Instead, it comes shipped with Android 4.2.2, and should be upgradeable to Android 4.4.4. The tablet has a Dual Core processor running at 1500 MHz and a graphics processor called the ARM Mali-400. This allows the Tab 3 to effortlessly handle games like Asphalt 8 without lag. Even with several apps running in tandem, the 1.5 GB of RAM was sufficient enough to keep everything snappy, with only a couple moments when the tablet lagged out here and there. Without a question, the selling point of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is its powerful processor and hardware. Onboard memory is 32 GB, which should be plenty for most users out there. However, there is an option to expand to up to 64 GB total via a microSD card for those who need the extra storage.

The battery is a whopping 4450 mAH battery that is non-removable and lasted a full workday with continual use, and lasting about a full day of talk time (as claimed by Samsung). The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 is a very nice tablet with powerful processing speed and a great operating system to boot. However, a mediocre camera and a low resolution screen make this tablet not the most awe inspiring device to use. However, users will be hard pressed to find a cheaper tablet anywhere this holiday season. This tablet definitely blows most budget tablets out of the water, and users who don’t value photography or don’t mind seeing the pixels of the display if they stare closely at it will definitely be satisfied with this purchase.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro has shot up to being one of the top tablets this holiday season. Why? Well, for starters, it has gone on sale for only $230 on Amazon and Best Buy, which is huge considering its initial price tag of $400. But is the tablet worth this much money? It also has impressive specs, beating out many of the tablets in this range from Apple and other manufacturers. For those who haven’t checked out the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 yet, here’s a look at what the tablet is sporting at such a low price.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is 8.62 inches long by 5.06 inches wide by .28 inches thick, making the tablet just barely longer than the Apple iPad Mini while still being thinner and lighter. It also fits comfortably in one hand while being large enough to not feel awkward when held in two hands in landscape mode. It weighs 11.82 ounces and, obviously, comes with a 8.4 inch screen. The tablet itself screams sleekness and professionalism. The non intrusive buttons on the bottom of the screen allow for navigation, and the Samsung logo on the top is not huge or unsightly. Turning it around reveals a huge surprise and that is a faux-leather back. The stitching around the etches really turns this device into a pleasure to hold, as well as giving it some protection from harsh surfaces when laid on its back. The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is as aesthetically pleasing as it is powerful, and it is easy to see that Samsung did not pull any punches when they designed this tablet.

The 8.4 inch display sports a Super Clear LCD display at 1600 x 2560 resolution, which is over 2 million more pixels than 1080p. Which a pixel density of 359 ppi, the display on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is truly a thing of beauty with a higher pixel density than any other tablet, including the Apple iPad Mini. Colors are accurately represented as well as supplying stunning graphics and incredible detail. The 1600p screen makes it nearly impossible to distinguish pixels at any range, and the screen supports multitasking on the same page due to its high resolution.

Driving this brilliant screen is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 at a blazing 2300 Mhz, along with the Adreno 330 graphics processor. This beast of a device comes with 2 GB of RAM for responsive multitasking as well as for running demanding games and applications. Apps were quick and responsive except for a few times when there were just too many apps and games running as once, in which case certain games would not work until a few apps were killed in the application manager. Upon resuming, however, everything was just as fast and responsive again, and the Galaxy Tab Pro was a pleasure to use. Storage is fairly typical of tablets these days, coming with 16 gigabytes of onboard storage with the option for expansion via microSD to up to 64 gigabytes of storage. In testing, the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 handled everything from HD movies to mobile games like Asphalt 8 and running multiple apps at the same time. This device comes shipped with Android 4.4 KitKat, and runs it flawlessly without a hitch.

Photos taken by the 8 megapixel rear facing camera can be shown off on the brilliant screen in all their glory. The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro’s camera features autofocus, face and smile detection, HDR, Panorama and some other nifty features as well as full 1080p video recording. The front facing camera is 2 megapixels and is serviceable as front facing cameras go. The LED flash was quick and responsive as well as allowing night time photos to still come out realistic and accurate.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is a surprisingly strong tablet for its price, and blows other tablets in its price range out of the water. If you are looking for a tablet that has tons of features and processing power and the most bang for your buck, then look no further. The Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 is a must buy for this holiday season, and is a top contender in aesthetics, processing power, and overall functionality. Plus, for $230, how can you beat the price?

]]>http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-pro-8-4-one-of-the-top-tablets-this-holiday-season/feed/0Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite On Sale (Amazon)http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-lite-on-sale-amazon/
http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-lite-on-sale-amazon/#respondSun, 07 Dec 2014 14:39:28 +0000http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/?p=118The Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 is a trimmed-down version of last year’s Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 and Samsung is not exactly keeping it secret – we cannot think of a more fitting model name. If, on the other hand, you’re scratching your head wondering was there anything to trim to begin with, you’re not alone.

Oh well, Samsung found a way. They got rid of the front-facing camera, put a 2MP unit around back, and replaced the chipset.

]]>http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-3-lite-on-sale-amazon/feed/0Best Tablets For Kids: Which One Should You Buy?http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/best-tablets-for-kids-which-one-should-you-buy/
http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/best-tablets-for-kids-which-one-should-you-buy/#respondSat, 06 Dec 2014 21:45:04 +0000http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/?p=110

It’s sometimes hard to figure out which tablets are best for your kids. After all, kids are often content with playing with their parents’ tablets. Most parents would obviously want to buy children their own tablet, but owning a connected device without any sort of parental controls is a lot to ask of any parent. That’s why consumer watchdog groups do all the work for you.

Consumer Reports put out a new study this holiday season comparing all the tablets built specifically for children. What does it mean to be a children’s tablet though? According to Consumer Reports, a quality children’s tablet features robust parental controls, pre-loaded educational apps and games, high quality components and a lower price than tablets intended for adults. Now, not all tablets, even those specifically built for children, fulfill all of these requirements.

Out of all tablets tested, Consumer Reports came back with two clear victors – the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kidsand the Amazon Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition. Both tablets are made from high quality components and come in at a low price – $200 and $150 respectively. Beyond the specs and price, it all comes down to the individual services and UI offered by both devices.

Starting with the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, Samsung encased its Galaxy Tab 3 in a colorful foam casing that protects it from harm while being more aesthetically appealing to children. It also sports a custom UI that puts all the entertainment that children could want at their fingertips. It even lets parents connect their Samsung device with their child’s device and control what they can and can not access.

Here’s a review from a father and his son:

As for the Fire HD Kids Edition, Amazon has opted for the same foam case that protects the tablet from harm while retaining a fun look. What sets Amazon apart from Samsung’s offering, however, is that it gives kids a year of FreeTime for free. For those unaware, FreeTime gives kids access to over 5,000 books, movies, TV shows, educational apps and games for no extra charge.

In other words, you won’t have to worry about your kid racking up massive bills as they will have all the entertainment they could ever want at their fingertips.

Ultimately, the decision is up to the parent, but the two above tablets are probably your best choice this holiday season. Not only are they cheap, but they offer easy ways to manage what your children can watch and play. It doesn’t eliminate responsibility, but it makes being responsible that much easier.

Pros and Cons of the Kindle Fire 7″ HDX:The Kindle Fire 7″ HDX’s compact size is one of the few advantages the tablet has over the Galaxy Tab. It also comes with free cloud storage for Amazon content.

The Kindle Fire 7″ has no microSD slot for storage expansion. It has lesser RAM than the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and a less powerful camera lens. It has a less powerful battery and it is thicker and slightly heavier.

Pros and Cons of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S:The Galaxy Tab S is available in Dazzling White and Titanium Bronze colors while the Kindle Fire 7″ HDX comes with only one color – black. The Tab S has a larger display, yet it is slimmer and lighter. It has more RAM, a more powerful camera and delivers more than double the talktime.

The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is slightly larger than the Kindle Fire. This may be the only disadvantage to it, as the Kindle Fire can easily sit into your hands.

Specs:The Kindle Fire 7″ HDX is a tablet featuring a 7-inch, 323-ppi, 1200×1920-pixel IPS LCD display. It is powered by Fire OS 3.0 Mojito and has a 2.2-GHz quad-core Krait 400 processor. It has three storage configurations – 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, and 2GB memory. It has only a single, front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera. Other features include 11 hours of talktime, free cloud storage, 9mm thickness and 303g weight.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 has an 8.4-inch, 359-ppi, 1600×2560-pixel Super AMOLED display. The tablet is available in 16GB and 32GB storage configurations with up to 128GB expansion capacity. It has 3GB of RAM and is available in three quad-core CPU options – 2.3GHz, 1.9GHz and 1.3GHz processors. The tablet runs on Android KitKat 4.4.2 and has an 8-MP primary camera and a 2.1-MP front facing camera. It is just 6.6mm thick and weighs 298g. The battery delivers a talktime of up to 29 hours.

Talking Points:The Kindle Fire 7″ HDX is the 3rd-generation tablet in the Amazon Kindle Fire series. It was unveiled in September 2013 along with an 8.9-inch model and released in October 2013. Amazon recently released an update in September 2014 by introducing a faster CPU and more powerful GPU. Besides, the company also removed the term “Kindle” from the device’s name. The Fire HDX received weaker than expected sales, but the low-cost of the Kindle Fire HD models helped the company record more than 4.22 million tablet sales during Q4 2013.

The Galaxy Tab S 8.4 was unveiled in June 2014 and released the next month. It was displayed at the New York Samsung Galaxy Premier 2014 along with the Galaxy Tab S 10.5. In a recent release, it was unveiled that Samsung reported incorrect information about the sales volume of Galaxy Tabs in the past.

Prices: The Kindle Fire 7″ HDX is available at $179 on Amazon. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 comes with a price tag of $397.99 on Amazon.

Conclusion:The Samsung Galaxy Tab S is easily the better tablet compared to the Kindle Fire 7″ HDX. It has a more powerful camera. It features a larger display and yet it is lighter and slimmer. It has more RAM, a microSD slot and a higher resolution display.

Which of these tablet devices is worth the purchase? We compare the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 against Apple’s iPad 4 to see which is better.

In terms of design and display, the iPad 4 has an IPS LCD model that is LED-backlit which measures 9.7 inches and it can render a resolution of 1536 x 2048 pixels. It weighs 652 g and has the following dimensions: 241.2 x 185.7 x 9.4 mm.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 has a TFT display that measures 10.1 inches and renders a lesser resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It significantly lighter than its competitor, weighing 510 grams and shows off the dimensions: 243.1 x 176.1 x 8 mm.

For the hardware and OS, Apple’s iPad 4 has a dual core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz which comes with the Apple A6X chipset. The tablet supports 1GB of RAM and it has multiple options for internal storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB (there is no microSD slot, hence the memory is not expandable). It runs on the iOS 6 (upgradable to iOS 7).

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 is equipped with a dual core working at 1.6GHz and the Intel Atom Z2560 model of chipset. It has 1GB of RAM with two options for storage space: either 16GB or 32GB (you can choose to use a microSD to expand your memory by up to 64GB). The tablet runs on the Android Jelly Bean OS.

For battery usage and camera specs, both tablets come with non-removable batteries: the iPad 4 has a Li-Po 11.560 mAh battery unit, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 has a Li-Po 6800 mAh one.

Regarding the rear-facing camera, Apple’s iPad 4 has a 5MP camera that features autofocus, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 has a 3.15MP one. For the front-facing camera, the iPad 4 has a 1.2MP one, while the Samsung device has a 1.3MP.

Samsung is beefing up its portfolio of tablets with the Galaxy Tab Active, a rugged slate made to take its share of lumps, but still offer the productivity of a standard Android device. We went hands-on with the 8-inch tablet, available now for $699, to see how it stacks up.

While it’s not a fully rugged tablet along the likes of a Panasonic Toughpad, the Galaxy Tab Active is more durable than a standard slate. With its protective cover, it can withstand drops from 4 feet. The tablet can also be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, and, unlike other water-resistant devices such as the Galaxy S5, the Tab Active doesn’t require any annoying port covers.

The cover, which ships with the tablet, also has a slot for the included C-Pen. It isn’t as robust, feature-wise, as the S Pen found on the Galaxy Note 10.1, but it will let you use the display when you’re wearing gloves.

Crucially for enterprise-class customers, the Tab Active has been Citrix- and SAP-certified, and Samsung says it’s working to get the tablet certified on other ISV platforms. It also comes with Samsung’s Knox 2.0 security platform, as well as a 3-year warranty.

Aesthetically, the Tab Active looks like a larger version of the Galaxy S5 Active: It has three physical buttons below the display, and a texture back panel that can be removed to access the battery and microSD card slot.

Specs-wise, the Tab Active is middle-of-the-road. Its 8-inch display has a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels, which is good, but well below the full-HD panels now available on sub-$200 consumer tablets. It’s powered by an Exynos processor, 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, which can be expanded via the microSD card slot.

On the back is a 3.1MP camera, and the front has a 1.2-MP shooter. In addition to its microUSB port, the Tab Active can be recharged using its Pogo port, three metal contacts on the left side.

Unfortunately, the Tab Active lacks a microSIM card slot, which will limit its connectivity options outside the office — precisely where it’s intended to be used.

Samsung says the 4,500-mAh battery in the Tab Active will last up to 10 hours on a charge, and, conveniently, can be swapped out for a replacement.

From our initial impressions, the Galaxy Tab Active looks like it could fit a niche for those who need something more robust, both physically and software-wise, than a consumer-style tablet, but don’t need a fully rugged slate that cost upward of $1,000.

]]>http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-active-can-take-a-beat-down/feed/0Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 Tips and Trickshttp://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-10-5-tips-and-tricks/
http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-10-5-tips-and-tricks/#respondWed, 03 Dec 2014 20:07:37 +0000http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/?p=66Not only is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S one of the best tablets on the market, it has a list of cool functions the average user may not know about. Here is a video to give you a breakdown on tips and tricks you can do with your new Samsung tablet.
]]>http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/samsung-galaxy-tab-s-10-5-tips-and-tricks/feed/0T-Mobile adding Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 for Xmashttp://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/t-mobile-adding-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-10-5-for-xmas/
http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/t-mobile-adding-samsung-galaxy-tab-s-10-5-for-xmas/#respondWed, 03 Dec 2014 17:35:39 +0000http://www.samsunggalaxytabreview.jayjohnsononline.com/?p=38

T-Mobile will expand its existing tablet range by one next week, adding the awesome Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 to select store shelves and its online inventory.

The tablet, which retails for $649.99 will be offered $0 down on a 24-month payment plan, which works out to be $27.08 per month. This is roughly the same amount you’ll currently pay for an Apple iPad Air 2 16GB.

T-Mobile already offers the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8.0) and plans to range the new Google Nexus 9 soon. For something a bit cheaper, there is also the Alcatel Onetouch Pop 7 which sells for $168.

As with all T-Mobile tablets,you’ll be able to add the Tab S as a line to an existing plan, or as part of a new T-Mobile contract. In addition to the device repayments, customers will need to add $10 for a SIM starter kit and choose a data level on a Simple Choice data-only Plan.

Data starts at $20 per month for 1GB at 4G LTE speeds and goes up to $70 for 11GB. T-Mobile’s data-only plan rates are reasonably competitive, with the sweet spot being 5GB for $40 per month.

As it is with all Simple Choice Plans, you can cancel this service at any time, buy you’ll need to pay out the balance of the tablet when you terminate the contract.

Oh, you mean the iPad killer

If you’ve read our review of the Tab S, then you’ll know we like it a fair bit, especially the 10.5-inch model. Samsung hasn’t had much success with tablets before now, but the Tab S is the slate to set the record straight.

Primarily, we like the Tab S because of its design. It’s slim, lightweight and very comfortable to hold — not things you could say about all previous Samsung tablets.

Samsung has also packed in a super-sharp 2560 x 1600 pixel screen in here, which we found is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand you have a truly brilliant image to look at all day long, but on the other, this screen is a major battery hog.